Delhi has taken a significant step towards promoting river-based tourism with the inauguration of its first recreational Yamuna River Cruise Service by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal at Sonia Vihar on Tuesday, in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Developed along the Sonia Vihar–Jagatpur stretch, the initiative aims to unlock the tourism and recreational potential of the Yamuna, offering residents and visitors a new way to experience the national capital. The project is also part of the Centre’s broader efforts to develop India’s inland waterways as avenues for tourism, passenger transportation and economic activity.
The service features a 30-seater electric cruise vessel operating along an approximately six-kilometre round-trip stretch of the river. The deployment of an electric-powered vessel highlights the potential of inland waterways for cleaner and more sustainable mobility.
Speaking at the inauguration, Sonowal said the initiative reflected the government’s commitment to harnessing India’s inland waterways potential under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the launch would mark a new phase in river tourism in Delhi while creating opportunities for tourism, trade and local livelihoods.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the cruise service would add a new dimension to the capital’s tourism landscape and strengthen public engagement with the Yamuna. She highlighted the river’s historical and cultural significance and reiterated the government’s commitment to developing the riverfront as an attractive public destination with sustainable infrastructure and improved visitor amenities.
The project has been envisioned as a wider eco-tourism destination, incorporating several recreational and visitor facilities. A major attraction is a musical fountain featuring coordinated light and sound presentations showcasing the history and spiritual significance of the Yamuna, including its association with Surya Dev, Yama and Lord Krishna’s legendary Kaliya Daman episode.
Other facilities include a food court, shopping area, children’s play zone and adventure sports activities such as skating and rock climbing. Modern floating jetties, dedicated ticket counters, online booking facilities, restrooms, waiting areas and illuminated approach pathways have also been developed to enhance the visitor experience.
The Yamuna has been designated as National Waterway-110 (NW-110) under the National Waterways Act, 2016. The introduction of the cruise service represents an important step towards developing the waterway for recreational navigation and river-based tourism in the national capital.
The initiative comes amid the rapid expansion of India’s inland waterways sector. Cargo movement on national waterways increased from 18 million metric tonnes in 2013-14 to 218 million metric tonnes in 2025-26, underlining their growing importance in the country’s logistics network.
Inland waterway transportation also offers a cost advantage, with freight movement estimated at ₹1.06 per tonne-kilometre, compared with ₹1.41 by rail and ₹2.28 by road.
River cruise tourism has also witnessed significant growth, with the number of vessels offering overnight journeys increasing from five in 2013-14 to 26 in 2025-26. A landmark achievement was the MV Ganga Vilas cruise, which covered more than 3,200 km across India and Bangladesh, connecting 50 tourist destinations across two countries, five states and 27 river systems.
The Yamuna River Cruise Service has been developed by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in collaboration with the Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi Jal Board and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Delhi government.
The launch is expected to strengthen Delhi’s river tourism potential while demonstrating how inland waterways can contribute to sustainable tourism, urban recreation and economic development.